Hot Rod
by deliriousnight
Summary: It was a blacksmith's dream, TenTen thought, for them to sit in a locked room, out at sea, with their best friend in a separated room, both surrounded by pirates. "Will you be my jolly sailor bold?" NejiTen, SasuSaku. AU.
1. prologue

**pairings: **NejiTen, SasuSaku

**notes: **There _may _be a few moments where you'll see NejiSaku or SasuTen or whichever, mostly because these four are my OT4 and thus I love all their interaction with each other. This is a Pirates! AU and there isn't _much _romance right now because, after all, this _is _the prologue but I'll get there! :)

Enjoy!

* * *

TenTen worked under sweltering conditions. It was something to see, really, a young girl going to work a long day of heating steel, and forging said steel until it was perfectly shaped and bent enough to be called a weapon.

They always said it wasn't a job for a woman. But she had proven them wrong, she thought, holding up her most recently finished sword. The smooth metal glinted in the sunlight. She ran her fingers down the edge, careful not to prick her fingers, her gloves laying forgotten on the table that held her forging instruments.

"TenTen?" the voice of her best friend called and TenTen quickly placed the sword down on another table and wiped her forehead, as Sakura Haruno came into the room.

Sakura was a doctor, a job that was as unbelievable as TenTen's blacksmithing, because, after all, they were young women who were expected to be married by the age they were with their fourth child on the way.

Instead, they had both become the most unpredictable and grudgingly respected women of their village.

The pink-haired woman smiled at her, as she took off the purse she had slung around her shoulders. It included, TenTen knew, her first aid kit, which Sakura always carried around with her, due to her paranoia about someone getting hurt.

"Finished another weapon?" she asked, head nodding towards the sword on the table next to the bun-haired girl.

In response, TenTen unwrapped her buns and shook her hair out around her, trying to fix it, if only enough to look presentable, then worked on securing her trademark buns once more.

Sakura laughed. "I'll take that as a yes."

TenTen grinned, her canines peeking out. "You know what they say: a weapon a day-"

"And the doctor'll come to stay," Sakura finished knowingly. "Do you want some tea or medicine for any wounds you may have gotten?" Her green eyes were sharp, a doctor's eyes, assessing TenTen to make sure there were no bruises.

TenTen couldn't blame her. She tended to neglect the tiny cuts and marks on her arms. Sakura, with her medical knowledge, happened to be a little wiser in that aspect, conscious of the risks of infection to her arms despite how little the cuts may be.

"No wounds today, Sakura." She grinned innocently and put her arms out for the other to see. Sure enough, the only marks were healed ones from other times.

Sakura huffed and sat down on one of the chairs of TenTen's workshop. "Good! You need to be much more careful with yourself."

"Yes, yes, Sakura."

All was silent for a moment. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence because, after all, Sakura and TenTen were best friends and they knew each other well enough to get so silent that others would think they weren't breathing.

The old man who had trained TenTen, for example. Despite having known her for more than a decade, he was absolutely suspicious of TenTen and everything she did. He didn't let her live in the upstairs part of the workshop, causing her to have to find a cheap old abode which she could barely afford.

It wasn't easy trying to make a living from something that a woman was not known to do.

But TenTen wouldn't have it any other way.

Until that same old man ran into the room, took one look at the two nonchalantly silent women, and screamed orders at them to leave if TenTen was done with work for the day.

Rolling her eyes, TenTen grabbed her gloves from the table and gestured for Sakura to escape out the backdoor, the old man screaming the whole time.

"Why do you continue to work for him?" Sakura asked disgusted, when they had fallen back on running, breathless and laughing.

"Because he's a good blacksmith," she answered. The answer had always been so simple. Yes, he was a horrid man. But he was also incredibly good at what he did and TenTen, with her ambition and greed of his knowledge had continued tutelage under him, despite all his shortcomings. "And that is all I've ever wanted to be."

Sakura snorted and led her to a nearby apple stand, choosing a bright red apple to snack on and slapping the stand owner's hand with a few coins. "I think you're already _at_ that level is my point."

Sakura was an optimist, TenTen knew. And because TenTen hung around her so much, the behavior had rubbed off on her as well. But there were some things that were different-if only because they were in totally different professions.

"There is the problem of no one buying my weapons." TenTen's tone was dry, as she leaned down to pick out her own apple. Not red, but green because the sour flavor was her absolute favorite. She found one that looked good and stuck her hand in the pocket of her trousers, picking out just enough currency to buy it. The shop owner took it and stared at said trousers in a disapproving manner. She could see why. They were pants meant for boys and they were loose around her waist, hanging down and not showing off any of her "womanly" curves.  
But they also happened to be incredibly comfortable and the only thing she could work efficiently enough in, so she smiled charmingly at the owner, taking a big bite of the apple and chewing right in his face, until he had turned away in his disgust.

"Yes," Sakura said thoughtfully. "There is that. But actually, I was thinking about that the other day and-"

"RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" The voice was loud and interrupted whatever Sakura was saying, along with the sound of the village alarm system.

TenTen's eyes narrowed. She had lived in Konoha all her life and had only heard that alarm once before.

Pirates.

* * *

The sand on the beach was grainy. It wasn't like Konoha primarily relied on the ocean anyway. They had their allies-not being completely isolated-but those allied villages were ones that was a land's distance.

The ocean was a mysterious place for Konoha and one they had never found curiosity to explore.

TenTen thought this was a bad idea, when there was always the risk of pirate attacks. Like right now.

The ship was gigantic. There was no telltale flag with the cross marks, but TenTen assumed that it was out of her sight, placed somewhere to the side of the ship, in direct view of any combatants coming from the sea.

They were bold, but that wasn't saying anything. From what TenTen knew of pirates, they were flashy men with the biggest appetite for rum, meat, gold, and women and the fearlessness to shout that appetite to the world.

After she and Sakura had heard the warning of pirates on the land, Sakura had run to see if anyone needed medical treatment, if the pirates had hurt anyone yet, or if they would.

TenTen had chosen to go to the site in question instead, hiding behind a ledge on the upward slope of the beach. Lucky for her, her eyesight was impeccable and she could see everything clearly enough. Although the lack of _everything_ was also clear.

No men had, thus far, gotten off the ship. It was docked so obviously but it was like the pirates were waiting for some kind of sign.

TenTen's grip tightened on the weapon in her hand. She had gone back to her house and grabbed it, after Sakura had run off, and then come to the beach, where she patiently waited.

It was certainly not the best idea but TenTen had never been known for those, so she shook off the shivers and the goosebumps that were rising on her arms and steadied her shaky grip on the hilt of her weapon.

It seemed like forever till a man _finally_ got off the ship. There was no plank to get off and so he just hopped off the ship from an impressive height, landing smoothly on the sand, the seawater lapping at his feet.

She couldn't see much of his countenance from her distance, but TenTen could see as much as his stature-broad-shouldered and leanly muscled, with long dark brown hair that flowed down his back. A band seemed to hold it's ends together.

He carried no weapons, she noticed grimly. That either meant that she had an advantage because she _did_ or he was just so good with hand to hand that he had no need for a weapon.

She hoped it was the former.

Risking the move, she lay flat on her stomach and crawled a little out of the ledge, slinking as close to the ship as possible without the man noticing.

She got as far as hearing distance before she figured that she should stop pushing her luck.

"Hyuuga," said a voice from above the ship. She glanced up and spotted another man, this one with spiked dark hair and keen eyes. "Have you checked to make sure the area is clear."

"Of course," said the man on the sand, apparently "Hyuuga." "Don't try and tell me how to do my job, _Uchiha_." The last word was said with a barely noticeable defiance. There was no hatred in the air, per say, but TenTen could feel some sort of tension. The tension of a boss and his subordinate, it was clear a moment later, when the man on the sand added quietly, "You may be the captain but I am first mate and I _know_ how to do my job."

Not well enough, she couldn't help but think smugly, laying face-down on the sand. Her body was slim enough for it to be hidden without much effort. The baggy clothes were _baggy_ for a reason, after all.

"Don't get too defiant now," the man on top of the ship said, smirking handsomely. He was a dashing figure, the kind of man women would throw themselves at, without him having to coerce them. She wasn't too sure about the man on the shore, but based on just his physique, TenTen deduced that his case would be much the same. "We're here for something particular, and the crew wouldn't like to see their bosses fighting."

The other man smirked. "Of course not. I'll do surveillance and watch over the ship."

In response to this, the captain jumped off the ship and gave TenTen an open view of the sword on his hip. It was in it's sheath, but with her trained eyes she could already tell that it was expertly crafted, as he strode away.

What she would do to make a sword _like that_.

She was so overcome by her weapon's lust that she didn't realize the feet that were heading towards her until it was just an inch away.

"You're fortunate I didn't give you away," said a polished voice. With a start, she looked all the way up where the man *who had been standing on the shore now stood. In front of her.

Jumping up and back, she grabbed her weapon and held it out threateningly.

He merely watched it with a mild interest.

His eyes were a shocking pearly color, the closing gap revealed. No pupils matched his blank expression. "Are you a woman?" he asked. There was no inflection in his tone, other than a slight interest but TenTen couldn't help but feel offended at the question.

"Yes, I am," she retorted angrily. "Are _you_?"

His eyes narrowed. "You're not the standard cowering female. It's a shame because you really should be."

"Why?" The question fired off her tongue sarcastically. "Is it because you're a pirate? Fairly sure I had figured that out already with the looming pirate ship, and your fashion sense."

Truth be told, his clothes were nothing to be scoffed at. The white shirt with the loose sleeves and the white pants, covered by a squared black cloth, looked easy enough to move around in as TenTen's boy pants. They were also tight around his broad shoulders and revealed that he _was_ not a man whose looks anyone could scoff at.

He seemed undeterred by her tone. "Sharp one, are you." It was evident he meant it literally, with the glance he threw the weapon in her hands. "Do you know how to use that?"

With a grim smile, she replied, "I believe I should." _I made it after all_, she added in her mind.

"I'm not looking for a fight," the pirate warned. "Those pillaging your town are. I recommend that you worry more about your own safety and head to a safe house."

"I don't," she started, "think I'll do that." And then she lunged. The sword in her hand was the best one she had ever made, light in her hand and not detracting from her agility, as it swiped at it's opponent.

To her dismay, he apparently _was_ the latter, a man who could stand his own without a weapon, dodging all the blows she tried to deal him.

When one of her blows _finally_ struck him, somewhere around his chest, he narrowed his eyes and in a movement quicker than she would have thought possible, grabbed her arms and twisted them behind her back, two fingers holding them there and two others taking her sword from her.

The last thing she felt before she was knocked out was the tiniest tap on the pressure point of her neck.

* * *

She woke up to the sound of men grunting. There was no one with her in the dark room she had apparently been confined to but she could hear enough through the door that she recognized the sounds of pain, even locked within.

"Why did you bring a hostage?" hissed a familiar voice, the one of the pirate who was probably, most likely, definitely responsible for the pain in the side of her neck and the reason that she was locked in an unfamiliar room with her hands tied behind her, her head pressed against the hard floor.

"She knocked out one of our men, sir!" said another man, obviously a subordinate.

"And she punched me in my private parts," added another man quickly. "She's a dangerous wench, I tell you!"

"And where is the captain in all this mess?" the first mate questioned.

"He 'pproved o' the decision ta capture the wench o' course! He saw the menace at work, o' course he did!"

"Don't," inputted a voice, a voice that TenTen knew almost as well as her own, a voice that she had thought was aiding the medical units like she said she would, "Call. Me. A. Menace. _You bastard of a man_."

"Hold her tightly," ordered the man who had whined about getting punched. "Or, seas forbid, we'll all be in a nasty trouble!"

"I have knowledge of every part of the human body," TenTen heard Sakura say sweetly. "I also have knowledge of how to hurt _every single part of it_, if you _don't let me go_."

"'fraid we can't do that," said one of the crew, though his tone suggested that nothing would make him happier. "Ya 'terfered in our business an' the cap'ain said to take you with us. Cap'ain orders are law."

The "cap'ain", TenTen knew, was the man she had seen with the sword. Where was he, she couldn't help but wonder. Probably still in Konoha, doing what pirates did, and looking for gold that they would never find. That was the only reason TenTen didn't bother protecting the village.

They would find nothing of their use, it was absolutely certain.

"I have another hostage in that room," said the first mate, obviously fed up with the whole business. "I'll bring her out."

"_Her_?" the men said eagerly. "Is she a lassie then? A lassie that _isn't_ a menace?"

That same man groaned a moment later after the sound of a kick and Sakura's potty mouth was heard.

"Don't get your hopes up," the first mate warned, obviously remembering the wound she had managed to give him. "She's no simpering biddy."

TenTen cackled in joy at this. Even if she was a captured hostage trapped in a locked room on a pirate ship, she had also been good enough with a weapon to wound a man who didn't _need_ one.

She was still cackling when the door creaked open and the aforementioned man stepped in.

"How ya doin, Missus Pirate?" she said with a grin. Her mouth wasn't binded surprisingly, but she probably didn't give off the air of someone who would yell for help anyway.

"Missus Pirate's" eyebrow twitched, but he didn't answer her, instead bending down to grab her by the rope around her wrists.

"Do ya like rope-play?" TenTen said. She enjoyed the twitch he gave, it made it clear to her that he wasn't completely unperturbed. "Never would have pegged you for the kinky type, but I'm sure that you don't fit many of the stereotypes, being a pirate and all."

He continued to be silent and lead her across the room and out the open door.

Sakura stood in between two men who were holding her down, as if ropes wouldn't contain her. She stopped struggling when she saw TenTen. The latter shook her head and pursed her lips together.

_Not a good idea to let them know we're acquainted_, she silently communicated.

Sakura nodded her head once slowly. _What happened_? her eyes probed.

_I'll tell you later._

"I have a job for you," the first mate was saying to his crew. "Check this woman."

TenTen watched in horror, as said men advanced on her with greedy looks in their eyes.

"Stop!" the first mate barked. "I meant check her for weapons, you imbeciles, not _strip her down_."

Reluctantly, they did so, though with the way their hands were patting her down, they may as well have stripped her down, TenTen thought with disgust. No, that wasn't right actually. They behaved fairly well, and managed to avoid her breasts and the front of her body, as well as her ass.

They must have been _extremely_ afraid of the first mate.

When they were done checking her, they had found a sharp needle behind her ear, two daggers hidden under each of her sleeves, a knife strapped to the inside of her hip, and three daggers on the inside of her boots. They showed this to the first mate in shock and he stared at them, assessing each in turn and then turning back to her.

The other men were shocked when Sakura stopped struggling with them and started choking instead. TenTen grinned. After all, the men hadn't gotten _all_ her weapons.

"Lock them both up," he decided, after a long moment. "Separately."

* * *

The captain came back after an hour. TenTen knew because she could, once again, hear the voices through her room door. They were the sounds of men who worshipped said captain fervently.

"We got some wenches too, cap'ain!" one of the crew said cheerfully. "One was tha' lady you were around for, but the first mate captured one as well!"

"Really." TenTen could almost imagine his raised eyebrow and his, undoubtedly, fast-working mind. First mate was supposed to be a _look out_, after all.

"Yes, would ya like me to show 'er to ya?"

There was a scuffled yell and a curse and then the first mate had interjected, "I doubt it'd make any difference, the woman is probably sleeping."

"Aa. I'll see to her anyway."

And without further a due, TenTen's door was pushed open again, the captain walking in. The only difference from the other time was that the day had apparently passed and the sky was a dark color, matching the color of the captain standing in front of her.

He tilted his head at her and narrowed his eyes. "You were on the beach this morning."

She raised a thin eyebrow.

"Yes, I noticed. I'm not an idiot."

"I would hope not, seeing as you're a _pirate captain_."

He bent down in one movement, quicker than the first mate this afternoon and grasped onto her chin, pulling it up to him. "You're a witty girl. No wonder Hyuuga thought to bring you aboard. He's always had a thing for the witty ones."

TenTen nodded knowingly. "Does he also have a thing for rope-play? I think I noticed it before."

The captain smirked. "Name's Sasuke. The first mate's Neji. We're off to sea in a second, as soon as my crew highers the anchors. I thought I should warn you and inform you of both."

She frowned, as he let go of her chin and left the room. "I hope you don't expect my name in return," she said.

"Of course not," he replied, closing the door softly. She heard him whisper, "Let me see the other girl as well."

And thus TenTen sat in that room, out at sea, with her best friend in a separated room, surrounded by pirates.

It was a blacksmith's dream, really.


	2. chapter 01

TenTen didn't sleep that night.

How could she when she thought about all those bastard pirates out there, greedy and corrupt.

_The rocking of the boat doesn't help much either,_ injected a tiny voice in her head.

No, it didn't, she had to agree. TenTen had never been on a boat in her life and didn't really spend so much time near the ocean was not used to the new sensation of sailing.

But she'd be damned if that caused her to throw up, in front of a bunch of men, who she _didn't_ want underestimating her.

So she held back the bile and sat there in that dark room, trying to catch sight of the moon through the tiny crack at the top of the wall, near the ceiling.

Slim enough to escape even, if she could get out of the ropes around her wrists and had her weapons to open it.

Not that she'd have anywhere to go, since they were on the fucking _sea_ now.

She spent the rest of the night, laying awake on the floor, and having murderous thoughts about the sea.

* * *

The door opened at dawn. It wasn't _Neji_ and it wasn't _Sasuke_, but rather a new man she hadn't seen before. He didn't look like the type of person to be a pirate though. He looked like the sort of man who'd rather be in her position-minus the rope, of course-, lying on the floor and not doing anything.

His dark eyebrows drew together when he saw her on the floor and he let out a drawn out sigh, low and throaty. "Troublesome," he muttered and began making his way to her. She watched him closely, not sure what his intention was, and when he bent down to look her in the eyes, she backed away, hissing. "Calm down," he muttered tiredly.

She twisted her head curiously and demanded, "Where's the Captain? And the first-mate?"

"Yeah, yeah." He waved his hand irritatingly in front of his face. "I know I'm not as interesting as _those_ too, but control your femininity for a moment and let me untie you."

"My _femininity_?" TenTen hissed. "I'm not stupid enough to be _interested_ in men who take me _hostage_!"

He tilted his head curiously to the side. "You're really not, huh. Just like that other girl."

Even his words and the way he spoke didn't depict a pirate's way. He didn't slur and he didn't seem to bother with improper grammar, as if he thought it too _troublesome_.

_Wait. He said the other-?_

"You saw Sakura?" TenTen wanted to know immediately, forgetting that the two were supposed to be pretending _not_ to know each other.

"That her name, huh," he said, unsurprised. "Suits her." He peered at her closely as if trying to judge _her_ name. "Well, what about you. Is it Bun-Bun or something?"

A startled laugh made it's way through her mouth without her meaning to.

The man jumped a little and scowled. "This is what I get for trying to make conversation," he muttered. "And they all wonder why I find you women so damn troublesome."

In between her breaths of laughter, TenTen inputted, "I resent being called troublesome."

He shrugged. "I don't much care. I'm just the messenger. Supposed to bring you to breakfast with the crew, according to the captain. He doesn't want you to starve completely or something."

TenTen stared. His bored tone was almost comical. Was this man really a pirate?

"Are you really a pirate?" she asked finally, deciding that there seemed to be no harm in voicing her thoughts.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, going through the flat front and along to the spiky tips. "I'm here, aren't I? But then again so are you. Now c'mon. I wanna be done with this goddamn drag already."

He grabbed her hands, pulled her up, and, exactly as he said, dragged her through and out the door.

* * *

"You're a pretty lassie," said one man with sharp canines and even sharper eyes, when they got to the deck-apparently that was . "Where'd they find you?"

Even though he probably didn't expect her to answer, TenTen was not one to disappoint. "On thr shores of that last village you _invaded_. I stabbed your dear ol' first mate."

The man gaped at her, then nearly cricked his neck when he tried to look through the rowdy crowd of pirates on deck, to find the captain.

"Where's Neji?" he hollered excitedly. "This lass is telling me that she managed to swipe him out."

"Lass is a really stupid word," TenTen observed. "It sounds like the way an old man calls his pet parrot."

The man with the sharp teeth turned his face back to her and flashed a bemused grin. "You're a funny wench, aren't you?"

"Wench isn't that much better," she told him.

This time he ignored her, since one of the other crew members, this one a pirate whose arms were piled with food and who was munching on it all like a madman, had come up to him. "What do ya wan' Neji for?"

"This one here-" he jabbed his thumb at TenTen, who was looking at the food in the newcomer's arms and trying to prevent her mouth from watering. He seemed to notice this obvious stare and covered it protectively. "-says she gave 'im a slash."

The muncher's eyes widened. "_Neji?_ No, she 'as ta be lyin'."

"Where is he, either way?" the sharp-toothed man wanted to know, continuing to ignore TenTen and her outraged gasp at being called a liar. She never _lied_ dammit! There was the occasional stretch of the truth when she played around with her mentor's swords when he wasn't looking, sure, but that _didn't_ count.

"He's gettin' that other lass outta her room, I think. Fiery one, she is, but that's prob'ly 'cause she's dealin' with _Neji_." He burst out cackling. "Shoulda sent Shikamaru to her too, he's better at persuadin' haha!"

So Shikamaru was the one who had come to her room. Now to figure out these two men's names.

It didn't _really_ matter, but TenTen couldn't help but feel like she'd have an advantage on them if she knew their name and they _didn't_ know hers.

Wishful thinking became her.

"He'd better get back soon," the sharp one said. "Or you'd have eaten all the food, Chouji."

_Chouji_, she thought smugly. _One down. Now for the other._

"Shaddup, Sui," Chouji mumbled grumpily. "It i'nt only me chowin' down."

_Sui. Got it._

Satisfied with her new knowledge but frustrated at the smell of the food, TenTen kicked at Sui's heel. "Bring me food," she ordered, when he glanced at her angrily. "Or I'll bite you."

Hey, they had taken away her sword. But they hadn't taken away her _teeth_.

His eyes narrowed down threateningly. "You wouldn't da-"

"What's going on here?" a low voice cut in. And, of course, who else would it be, but there topic of conversation?

"This wench is tryin to convince me and Chouji of somethin." Sui's eyes darkened dangerously. "'pparently she cut the _grand ol' Neji Hyuuga_ before you took her hostage."

Neji didn't reply, choosing to glance behind him and gesture someone in front. It was Sakura, just as Chouji had said; he _had_ been trying to convince her out of her room. Her best friend looked disgruntled, cheeks a frustrated red, probably from fussing so much. Thin pink lips were set in a scowl, and not one that TenTen was unfamiliar with. It was the sort of look Sakura got when she was itching to punch something. Usually she had could go home and punch the bag she had stored for just these purposes.

But they didn't have that luxury right now. Which meant-

_Bam_.

Annnnd her fists went through the wall next to her, both of them, since she still had the rope around her wrists.

"You should get her some food," TenTen advised the shocked group of men. Even Neji's eyes had widened, and TenTen had taken him for the calm sort, the one who was never shaken by anything. "They say that food is the way to a _wench's_ heart, you know."

Sakura threw her a frustrated glance, probably for making light of the situation. But, hey, in TenTen's opinion, it wouldn't help much if they were _both_ angry and punching through walls. She might as well be the one to make snarky comments in the background and confuse them completely by her nonchalance.

Sui stared down at her. She supposed that she looked like a mess, buns in a disarray, hands behind her back, and dark circles under her eyes didn't make for a very pretty picture.

But TenTen wasn't there to be _pretty_.

And she certainly wasn't there to _starve to death_ either.

"You really want food, huh," Sui said.

It wasn't a question but she answered anyway. "I really do."

When none of them moved for a few minutes, Neji finally let out a long sigh and motioned for Sui to follow him to where the food was. He didn't motion to Chouji, probably assuming that he'd all the food while they walked back.

There was already one fist-shaped mark through the wall. They probably didn't want TenTen's there as well.

Sakura sidled up to TenTen when Chouji wasn't looking and started to whisper frantically. "What are you doing?" she hissed. "You're acting completely _normal_-like we're not on a ship with a bunch of kidnapping _pirates_!"

"Best way to shake 'em up," TenTen hissed back. "They have two ladies on board now-two that they aren't used to seeing; the strong, stubborn type, and the witty, carefree one. It's already taken them by surprise, see?" She gestured to where Neji and Sui were, gathering food and having a heated discussion about something. Well, Sui seemed to be heatedly discussing it. Neji seemed to just be calmly talking. That attitude seemed to only agitate Sui, who was rolling up his fists, ready as Sakura to punch him.

"I don't think they're talking about us, TenTen," Sakura said dryly. "They must be discussing something _pirate-related_."

"Yeah," TenTen agreed after a minute of staring at the two. Her eyes narrowed. They didn't _look_ like they were going to break out into a fight, but there was a tension in the air around the deck, underneath all the jolly good fun and rum everyone was having. Something had happened. Something _big_. "Where do you think the captain is?"

She felt and heard, rather than saw Sakura stiffen next to her at the question. Just as she was about to turn around and ask why that was, Chouji answered her. "Cap'ain's got 'is own business. We don't get ta interfere. It'd get us kicked off the boat and all."

"But when that business," interjected another man at random, a dark-haired, slit-eyed man with tattoos on his cheeks and a dog on his shoulder, "is mixed with _ours_, there's a problem, Chouji!"

"We're not arguing about this, Kiba," Neji said sharply, coming back with the girls' food, Sui right behind him. "Especially not in front of _them_." His eyes flitted to TenTen and Sakura and back again. "Uchiha is the captain and the captain's word is _law_, whether you like it or not."

The hidden tension had been released into the air. Now everyone was facing their direction, a sort of group muttering having started, rum and pirate jolly forgotten.

"When it was sensible decisions, maybe," Kiba said stubbornly and TenTen had to muffle a snort. Since when had _pirates_ been known for their sensibilities? "But now? I think we oughtta make our dear ol' cap'ain walk the plank!"

"I disagree," the captain said suddenly and from somewhere nearby. They all turned to look and found him on top of the viewing platform of the ship, standing there and staring blankly. When she blinked, TenTen could have _sworn_ his eyes turned just the _slightest_ shade of red. "Fairly certain the _insensible captain_ would agree with me."

Sakura had stiffened even more, once Sasuke's voice was heard, her back straightening to the point of bending backwards and her eyes wide in their sockets.

TenTen prodded her once. "What's wrong?" she whispered worriedly. "Did something happen, Sakura?"

"Is that her name?" said an unsurprised Sasuke, much closer than before and when TenTen looked up she found him right in front of the both of them, staring at Sakura and making her more uncomfortable then TenTen had ever seen her be.

She didn't answer the question.

"Kiba," Sasuke barked, abruptly. "Remember that the Sharingan is my ship. And I will _throw you overboard _if there's anything you want to say against that."

Kiba stood firm and still until Sasuke's penetrating eyes looked away, towards where Neji and Sui said, still with food in their hands.

"Give them the food," he ordered, not yelling or shouting, but there was the tone of a leader in the sentence and they followed it without question.

TenTen had to thank this tone of the leader when she got hold of the food and _finally_ sank her teeth into it. The meat wasn't exquisite but it was whole and hearty and made her smack her lips together multiple times.

No wonder pirates ate like they did. This was _delicious_.

"Aren't you gonna eat?" TenTen asked in between bites to Sakura. Her friend was still stiff, holding onto a piece of meat and staring dazedly in front of her. When she followed the stare, she found nothing but the empty front of the deck. "Sakura?"

Sakura started. "Huh-wha?" Catching the curious glance TenTen was shooting her, she seemed to come back to herself. "Right. Food. That's uh-food. Got it. Food is good. That's why they, uh, rhyme. Yeah."

TenTen frowned. "Sakura, are you okay? You've been out of it since that captain came back..."

Sakura waved her worry away. "I'm fine. Perfectly fine. _Perfectly_ fine. There's nothing wrong, everything's perfect."

Ignoring the fact that they were stuck on a pirate ship, who knows where, as hostages. "Sa-"

"I'm gonna go," Sakura interrupted, "over there. To eat." She pointed to the front of the deck and began heading towards it. TenTen wanted to follow her but she thought that Sakura probably needed some alone time with the dazed state she was in.

She narrowed her eyes at the captain. After he had left her room, last night, he _had_ said that he was going to check on Sakura. But what in the seven seas could have happened between the two for Sakura to be as flustered as she was.

"Worried?" Neji asked softly, coming up beside her. He didn't have any food in his hands and, as far as she knew he hadn't eaten anything at all yet, having had to get Sakura and then arguing and then bringing them food.

"Yeah. I am actually."

"I wouldn't," he advised.

"What basis are you saying that on?" She was curious and a little angry. Of _course_ she would worry about Sakura. Sakura was her best friend and you always had to worry about best friends. Especially, when they were absent-mindedly eating meat on the empty front deck of a pirate ship and seemed to forget what was going on.

Neji didn't answer.

"So. Is this what you pirates do all day?" TenTen jerked her head around the deck. "Eat and drink and try to argue but end up failing."

Neji's eyes seemed to darken. It was an odd effect, with his pale eyes, but it also did _something_ to TenTen's body that she had never expected. Her breath came out slightly harder when she met that gaze and her heart rate increased a little. "We practice."

"Practice what?" she asked, more out of a want to distract this newest sensation than curiosity.

"Weaponry." His gaze intensified and she _knew_ that he wasn't planning on ever giving her a weapon in his presence, much less underestimating her with one. "I'd appreciate you not spreading the story that you scratched me. I am the first mate and, when the captain isn't around, I _do_ have a duty to control this crew."

"You're very into _duty_, aren't you, Missus Pirate?" TenTen drawled. "But that won't stop anyone from marking you down if they can." She pointedly stared at the upper half of his chest, a little to the corner, where she assumed the cut was.

Neji's eyes narrowed. "I was caught off guard."

"Maybe you should always be _on_ it, huh," TenTen taunted. She liked where this conversation was heading. A little more taunting and he'd be _putty_ in her fingers.

A scowl formed on his face. "Where would a woman like you learn how to use weapons."

"Oh, you know." She waved her hand back and forth. "Here. And there."

"You're trying to push for a rematch," he realized after a minute. "Unfortunately for you, I do not take part in weaponry practice."

"Then let's do it differently," TenTen suggested. "You fight with your hands and I get a small weapon to use. It's not unfair," she pointed out when he began to protest, "because I'm a _woman_, as you say."

"Not just any woman," she heard him mutter and then, in a louder voice, "You have two hours to prepare. We fight at noon."

* * *

**notes:** A little shorter than last chapter, but I wanted to leave you with a cliffhanger :3

Thoughts on some of the crew you all got to meet? And TenTen's witty banter, Sakura's suspicious stiffness, and the tension between the crew members?


End file.
